962 Bulletin ^7, United States National Museum. 



head, not depressible iuto a fissure of the abdomen ; pectorals 1\ iu head ; 

 vent well behind ventrals. Color in life salmon red, rather bright and 

 nearly uniform, darker on back, silvery under the chin ; fins all salmon, 

 with black areas toward base on both dorsals and anal; ventrals largely 

 black; lining of opercles pale. Length 5 inches. A single specimen, in 

 fair condition, was found in the stomach of a Red Grouper from the 

 Snapper Banks off Pensacola. {rubescens, reddening.) 



Sleiner/eria riibencenn, Joudan & Eveumann, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., 188G, 407, Snapper Banks 

 oif Pensacola. (Type, No. 37991. Coll. Jordan &. Evermann.) 



Family CXXXIV. CENTROLOPHID^. 



(The Rudder-fishes.) 



Body oblong or elongate, compressed, covered with moderate cycloid, 

 adherent scales. Lateral line present, straightish. Bones of head some- 

 times serrulate. Mouth moderate, with small teeth. Premaxillaries pro- 

 tractile. tEsophagus with tooth-like processes as in Stromateidiv. Verte- 

 bne in normal number, 10 -f 14 or 15 = 24 or 25. Dorsal fin long, 3 to 10 

 of the anterior rays simple, more or less spine-like ; anal similar, shorter; 

 caudal lunate, on a rather stout peduncle; ventrals well developed, tho- 

 racic, I, 5. Skeleton moderately firm. Fishes of the open seas, inhabit- 

 ing moderate depths. Three genera and about 6 species recognized. This 

 group is closely related to the Stromateida', but seems worthy of separate 

 recognition. {Centrolophina', Gill, Proc. Am. Phil. Soc, xxi, 666, 1884.) 



Centkolophin.t-: : 



a. Dorsal spines slender, graduated, joined by the membrane; soft rays moderately elevated; 

 head naked, its bones entire. C'entrolophus, 439. 



MuPiN.T-' : 



aa. Dorsal spines short and stout, subequal, about as long as soft raj's; fins not falcate; sides 

 of head scaly. 

 6. Ejes small; dorsal spines scarcely connected by membrane; preopercle, interopercle, 

 and subopercle finely serrate. Palinuriciithys, 440. 



439. CENTROLOPHUS, Lacdpede. 

 (Black Ruffs.) 



Centrnlophiis, LAc£pfiDE, Hist. Nat. Poiss., iv, 441, 1803, (niger). 

 Pompiliis, Lowe, Proc. Zo'ol. Soc. Lond., 81, 1839, (jmmpihif:). 

 Acentrolophns, Nardo, Prodr. Ichth. Adriat., sp. G2, (macnJoswi). 

 Gynnwcephahts, Cocco, Giorn. Sci. Lettr. Sic, 26, 1829, (messinensis). 



Body elongate, covered with minute scales; lateral line present, arched 

 anteriorly. Head naked, unarmed. Mouth rather small, Avith small teeth 

 in jaws only. Epibranchials of fourth gill arch with long, toothed pro- 

 cesses as iu Stromafcits, Iihombiis, Mujuis,* and Palinur ichth ys. Dorsal long, 

 continuous, not falcate, with about 3 slender, graduated spines. Dorsal 

 and anal scaly ; anal with 3 slender spines. Ventrals moderate, thoracic, 



* MHpv.i, Cocco = Leirus, Lowe, based on Mupus imperialis, Cocco = Centrolophtts ovalis, Cuvier 

 & Valenciennes. 



